I'm planning to dual boot my PC with Windows and Linux since I'm getting frustrated with Windows. I'm looking to do this in a couple of months when I don't need my computer for university. While I'd love to switch to full Linux, I'm aware that some games don't run well on it, so dual booting seems like the best option. My specs are an AM4 setup with two NVME drives: one is a Kingston generic Gen 3 SSD, and the other is a Samsung 990 Pro with a heatsink. I think I'd prefer to install Linux on the Gen 3 drive since it's less resource-intensive. Here are a few questions I have:
1) What steps should I take for installation? I plan to format the Gen 3 drive first.
2) How can both operating systems share the space on both drives without running into storage problems? I've currently got about 3TB of stuff that I might want to reinstall.
3) Besides installing a Linux distro, is there anything else I need to consider?
4) Do I need to reinstall drivers on Linux, or are they configured automatically?
5) What's the minimum USB storage I need for the installation? I've got a 16GB USB, but could borrow a 32GB or 64GB one.
3 Answers
The easiest way to dual boot is to install Linux on a separate drive. If possible, move your data off the second drive so there are no conflicts. You’ll need to create a bootable USB with your chosen Linux ISO—Fedora Media Writer works well for this. The installer will usually take care of formatting the drive for you.
Make sure to disable secure boot. When installing Linux, it's best to disconnect the Windows drive, then reconnect it after you’ve got Linux running. Just set the boot order to prioritize the Linux drive, and it will recognize Windows automatically.
I’ve had a similar experience with dual booting. Leave the Windows drive untouched to avoid issues. I shrunk my D drive to free up some space and installed Fedora KDE there. You’ll still be able to access files across OSs but remember, the games won't share installations between Windows and Linux.
I did something similar, but I used Linux Mint instead of Fedora.
Just to add, you’ll typically need about 1-10 GB on the USB, depending on the distro. Also, make sure to disable Windows fast startup so you can access the Windows drive from Linux.